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UHS recognized for stroke care

UHS has received a 2017 “Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Silver Plus Performance Achievement Award.”

The award from the American Stroke Association recognizes UHS’ commitment to implementing a higher standard of stroke care and its success in ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

“Our challenge is always to get the right care to the patient in the shortest amount of time,” said Matthew J. Salanger, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of UHS. “We’ve made a commitment to turn treatment guidelines into lifelines for our stroke patients.”

The award underscores the important factor that time plays in saving stroke victims’ lives and helping them recover.

“We have developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients,” Mr. Salanger said. “This includes providing CT scans, having specialists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.”

To receive the special award, UHS showed that it consistently followed the program’s treatment guidelines for 12 consecutive months.

According to the American Stroke Association, each year approximately 795,000 people suffer strokes. Of that number, 610,000 are first attacks and 185,000 are recurrent.

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States is suffering from a stroke, accounting for one in every 18 deaths in the U.S.

But quick treatment at a hospital or medical center properly staffed and equipped to deal with strokes can save lives and minimize the damage strokes can cause, studies have shown.